Show ContentsBarthen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The lineage of the name Barthen begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It is a result of when they lived on a barley farm. Checking further we found the name was derived from the English word barton which originates in the two Old English words bere, which means barley, and tun, signifying an enclosure.

Early Origins of the Barthen family

The surname Barthen was first found in Cheshire at Barton, a township, in the parish of Farndon, union of Great Boughton, Higher division of the hundred of Broxton. "The manor [of Barton] was anciently held under the barony of Malpas by the family of Barton, some monuments of whom, with their effigies, were formerly to be seen in Farndon church." 1

Over in Barton-Upon-Irwell in Lancashire another branch of the family was found. "Barton Old Hall, a brick edifice, now a farmhouse, was the seat successively of the Barton, Booth, and Leigh families." 1

Bearton was the name of a small hamlet near Hitchin in Hertfordshire, but was amalgamated about 100 years ago to be known as Hitchin Bearton.

Early History of the Barthen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barthen research. Another 158 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1015, 1163, 1304, 1466, 1474, 1475, 1506, 1511, 1525, 1534, 1562, 1597, 1598, 1610, 1614, 1659, 1678, 1681, 1684, 1797 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Barthen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barthen Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Barthen has undergone many spelling variations, including Barton, Barten, Bartin and others.

Early Notables of the Barthen family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir Andrew Barton (1466-1511), High Admiral of the Kingdom of Scotland, but regarded by the English and Portuguese as a pirate. His "defeat by Sir Thomas and Sir Edward Howard is celebrated in the old ballad of 'Sir Andrew Barton,' was the son of John Barton, who is mentioned in the account of the chamberlain of Fife, 1474-1475, as master of the Yellow Carvel, subsequently rendered famous under Sir Andrew Wood. " 2 Edward Barton (1562?-1597), was the second English ambassador sent to Constantinople, and was probably the second son of Edward Barton of...
Another 224 words (16 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Barthen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Barthen family to Ireland

Some of the Barthen family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 103 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Barthen migration to the United States +

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Barthen were among those contributors:

Barthen Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Jos Barthen, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1799 3


The Barthen Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Fide et fortitudine
Motto Translation: By fidelity and fortitude.


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  3. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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